When it’s failing, struts are a vital part of your car’s suspension system that can create many driving problems. That’s why you’re asking – how much does a strut replacement cost? Is there a difference between front struts and rear struts?
Within this guide, I evaluate the factors that affect the cost of strut replacements, how often struts should last, the signs of bad struts, and whether you can drive with bad struts.
At the end of the article, you can find the difference between strut and shock.
How Much Does A Strut Replacement Cost?
Usually, strut replacement will cost between $400 and $900. Usually, there is not much difference between the price of replacing either front or rear struts. However, the front struts could be somewhat more expensive to replace, in some cases.
The cost of the parts may only be $250 to $500, while the rest of the price will be used in paying the labor cost.
To start, let’s go through some examples of the strut replacement cost for popular car models, then we will look into the factors that affect replacement costs.
Estimated Strut Replacement Cost by Car Model
Below are the average estimated costs of strut replacement per car model. The price of strut replacement may also vary depending on your engine type and model year. The stated prices are per strut, not per pair.
| Car Model | Rear Cost | Front Cost |
| Ford F-150 | No Struts | $450 |
| Honda CR-V | $250 | $350 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | No Struts | $450 |
| Dodge Ram 1500/2500/3500 | No Struts | $450 |
| Toyota RAV4 | No Struts | $350 |
| Toyota Camry | $300 | $400 |
Factors Affecting Strut Replacement Cost
1. Type of Vehicle.
As is the case with any new car parts, the price comes down to what type of vehicle you own. For example, many smaller sedans have lower parts pricing than a truck or SUV.
But there are exceptions to this generalization. For example, if you own a rare model vehicle or a luxury vehicle, and you may need to pay a premium on your parts.
2. Brand.
You can have many choices of brands; some are clearly budget options. You can go with an aftermarket brand if you want to save money now, but they will have a shorter lifespan than you want.
Your best option is to go with an OEM part, or at least a performance model from one of the major brands. You will pay more for Bilstein, Monroe, or KYB struts, but you will be much happier with the ride and durability. The best brands also provide warranty coverage for your protection.
3. DIY vs Pro.
The best way to save money on strut replacement is to do it yourself. However, as you can see if you have already done your research, it isn’t the easiest task, and not something for the novice.
If you need to visit an auto repair/modification shop for struts (especially for the sake of warranty issues), you may have to consider labor costs that are likely to vary considerably.
A lot of times it is less expensive to use your neighborhood shop than the dealership; however, it is always good to have a mechanic you know and trust, who guarantees their work.
4. Additional Services.
When struts go bad, there may be other related parts also needing to be replaced. For example, depending on wear and tear, you may also be replacing strut mounts or springs. The more parts you have to replace, the more you will pay.
In addition, any competent mechanic is going to encourage you to get a wheel alignment after you replace the struts. A two-wheel alignment can cost you another $35 to $100, while a four-wheel alignment can cost up to $100 or more.
How Often Do Struts Need to Be Replaced?
Struts should not be replaced as a preventative measure, instead, you want to start checking suspension at 25,000 miles.
The general life span of struts is between 50,000 and 100,000 miles, before replacement is required. However, if you are driving a vehicle on rough roads or are an aggressive driver, your struts may need replacing sooner. You will also notice other suspension wear issues due to poor struts.
Signs You Need New Struts:
1. Unusual Noises.
When struts wear out, they can produce noise. This is not a rule so you cannot use it as a definite sign, but it is possible to hear banging or hollow clunking sounds, especially when going over bumps.
The front struts are connected to the steering knuckle, so you may hear noises when you steer or turn. You may notice more creaking and clunking as you take a turn.
2. A Rougher Ride.
Struts are part of your vehicle’s suspension system and they help to dampen the imperfections of the road. Because of this, bad struts are going to provide you with more discomfort; you will also notice more of a change when you hit bumps or drive on an uneven road.
If you leave your struts and suspension, go too long, eventually your struts will get so bad that they will bottom out. It’s called “bottoming out”, which means the spring compressed too much and reached its travel limit.
3. Declining Performance.
Along with the comfort level, you will also have multiple levels of declining performance that will become noticeable. As the struts wear down, your vehicle will start to dive or squat during initial acceleration and braking. You may find that the vehicle even starts to lean over when you turn.
When the strut bearing wears out, your steering will degrade as well. It may be difficult to turn the steering wheel, and it may feel dull. If you’re handling or steering performance degrades, you are putting yourself in danger on the road, so you want to get this type of problem taken care of immediately.
4. Uneven Tire Wear.
Defective struts cause problems with handling that affect the way tires are able to maintain contact with the road’s surface. With tires not fully contacting the road, the tread will not wear evenly. Worn out struts in particular are known for creating a cupped effect on the tread.
There are areas of low and high contours around the tread due to the cupping effect. The flex of the tires while driving, causes the tires to bounce up and down the road.
If you do not address the struts as soon as possible, when you start to notice problems, you might also find yourself having to purchase tires, which drastically changes the scope of your repairs.
5. Oil Leaking.
The struts in your car are filled with hydraulic fluid that, as long as everything is working properly, shouldn’t leak outside of the structure. If the struts are bad, then the oil will start leaking out of the casing and is a sign that the struts are bad.
Oil leaking happens because the seals have aged due to wear and tear over time. The oil might not be aimlessly dripping from the struts onto the concrete, as it has a tendency to pool around the outside of the strut.
To check for seepage, feel the strut and look for an oily residue to see if oil seepage is happening.
Is It Safe to Drive with Bad Struts?
Many people will wait and put off getting struts replaced to save money. For a variety of reasons, I would not advise to do this, and would recommend getting you struts replaced as soon as possible.
For one, driving a car that has bad struts can be dangerous. The ride may feel unstable, and your handling, steering, and braking performance may all feel degraded.
If you are in an accident due to ignoring an issue with your struts, you aren’t going to be very happy with what follows. Not only will you have to pay for repairs, and deal with increased insurance premiums, you may also be liable as a result of someone else being injured.
Also, when the struts are bad, the car experiences much more stress – especially the suspension system. By procrastinating, you may end up causing more repairs, which also costs more.
All of the parts that get ruined due to deferred strut replacement, including strut mounts, tires, etc. will have been avoided had you taken care of the struts when it should have been.
Strut vs Shock: What’s the Difference?
In common usage people refer to struts and shocks as if they are the same word. Although they are both important suspension components, they are actually components of the suspension system with different purposes.
Both are required to improve the handling and ride of your vehicle, but the ways they do this is different.
In short, a shock is a part of the suspension system that has no structural role. A strut is part of the structure that supports both the suspension and the chassis.
A shock absorber is not designed to support the weight of the vehicle, a strut supports the weight of the vehicle. A shock is designed to control the movement of the suspension only.
Struts are a damper by function, but also a structural component. Struts replace the upper control arm and upper ball joint that are not included in similar suspension systems.
In general, struts are heavier and take up more space than shock absorbers. The internal functions of both struts and shocks are functionally the same, in that they are both designed to dampen motion.
The difference is that struts are designed and manufactured with much more strength to be able to support the spring, and hold the tire assembly in place.
Struts also must support and resist many of the side load forces acting upon the vehicle suspension.
A Mechanic’s Tips About Strut Replacement
- When I am doing struts, I always recommend replacing the complete strut consisting of the top strut mount and bearing, coil springs and the strut itself. You could save some money by just replacing the shock, but save yourself some headache by replacing the strut, because if the coil spring pops the next week, it still will be less money.
- I also recommend replacing the sway bar link if it is mounted to the strut. Simply because they are a pain to get off, and in most cases you will damage the link getting it off regardless. You never know, they do fail also, and in my opinion it is best to just replace them immediately.
- I want to state this unless you are not replacing the entire strut, be very cautious with the coil spring, and I do mean caution. Wrong tools and wrong skills can get you hurt!
- Always lubricate all bolts before putting everything back together. You’ll appreciate it later.
- After replacing the struts, or doing anything with the suspension, it is best to always have a wheel alignment done. Otherwise your tires will wear quickly and your car handling can suffer.
Can You Drive With Worn Out Struts?
No. It is not advised to drive with worn out struts. The handling of your car will be greatly affected with worn struts, and it can become an issue for road safety, and dangerous to you and everybody else on the road if something were to go wrong or the struts fail at higher speeds. So, if you believe your struts are worn, replace them right away.
What If You Don’t Replace Struts?
If you ignore your worn out struts, the handling of your vehicle will deteriorate rapidly. Eventually, the vehicle will become impossible to drive and dangerous on the road.
Your struts can get so bad that you can crash your car at high speeds.
Do I Have To Replace All 4 Struts?
No, it is not possible to replace all 4 struts at the same time. Generally, it is recommended to replace either struts on the same axle, but it is not required, and then replace the second strut. Each replacement in any case can be pretty expensive.
But if you decide to replace only one strut, you need to understand that you will create an imbalance when you replace the second strut.
How Long Does It Take To Replace Struts?
In general, a mechanic can replace a strut in a car in 1 to 3 hours, which is primarily dependent on the car and the model.
Generally, replacing struts is not an easy job, even for most car mechanics, but for an inexperienced mechanic doing it for the first time, it may take many hours to replace a strut.
The typical cost of replacing a pair of front struts is usually between $400 and $900, while a pair of rear struts will usually cost between $300 to $800.
These ranges can vary depending on the car, and other factors, as some makes and models cost $1,000 or more for new struts for one axle.
When calculating the expenses in replacing struts, keep in mind additional expenses that may come up, like the cost of new strut mounts, coil springs, a wheel alignment, or perhaps even tires.
Be sure to check with your mechanic to give you a more accurate cost based on your vehicle before you schedule any service.